Well the decade of wealth and exuberance is gone.For quite a few Americans those types of luxuries like new cars are now gone. Now when a family is in need of a new car they are forced to look into buying a used car.This is clear by all of the money troubles the big three auto makers are having.  There sales are down.

But most families will still need some sort of transportation.  But when money is tight families have to choose the cheaper alternative.That alternative choice is a used car. 

As a San Diego auto repair shop owner I am asked to inspect some of these used cars.Because when you have decided to buy that used car, you do not want to purchase a lemon.So by taking the time to perform a good inspection, you may avoid costly repairs.

So when you are examining the used cars, take in mind these 2 things to look for.  First you want to check the brakes.  We do San Diego brakes in our shop.So I know from experience that having to repair brakes can be very costly.If you buy a used car where the brakes were not taken care of by the previous owner it can become expensive.The last thing you want to have to pay for is an entire braking system.So be sure you have good brakes.

Second, you want to ensure that the car is running clean.Said another way, will it be able to pass a smog check.  In my business I do smog test in San Diego.  The last thing you want is to purchase a car that will need expensive repairs.  Especially if those repairs involve emission problems.

If you make a purchase of a used car that can’t pass a smog test that is not a good situation.It is a sign of a previous owner not taking care of it.What most likely occured is they didn’t do any maintenance on it.These could be the beginning of a lot more issues down the road.

If you take the time to inspect a couple of items you will save a lot of money. By not checking you can be in for some major repairs.  When you are trying to save money I am sure you don’t want that.